On 13-15 January 2025, Barcelona hosted the High-Level Symposium on "EU-Japan Collaboration in High-Performance Computing (HPC)", a landmark event for strengthening research and technological ties between Europe and Japan in the fast-advancing field of supercomputing. Organised by the HANAMI project and hosted by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center in Castelldefels, the symposium brought together leading researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from both regions to discuss the future of HPC and the role of international collaboration in addressing global challenges, like climate change, next-generation materials, and biomedical advancements.

Over the course of three days, the event featured more than 50 talks with over 80 participants from both regions, underscoring the importance of cross-continental collaboration to accelerate innovation in HPC. The symposium provided a unique platform for European and Japanese researchers to exchange ideas, share expertise, and discuss joint innovations. It also featured specialised sessions in climate modelling, biomedical applications, and materials science, showcasing the areas where EU-Japan collaboration can make the greatest impact. The symposium concluded with a strong call for sustained and expanded cooperation between Europe and Japan for the future of HPC. 

This event featured two concurrent events: the CEA-RIKEN School: Kokkos Training, focused on Kokkos' programming capabilities, with lectures and hands-on training from top-level Kokkos experts to the several students from Japan and Europe, who participated in the event. In addition, the HANAMI Sustainability Workshop on "Europe-Japan Strategic Dialogue on High-Performance Computing Collaboration" brought together national policymakers, funders, and key stakeholders to explore the pivotal role of Europe-Japan collaboration in advancing HPC international collaboration. This hybrid event was attended by over 60 participants from different institutions and authorities, such as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan, the French embassy to Japan, and with contributions from European EuroHPC centers, like GENCI.

Source: INESC TEC